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<\/a><\/p>\nHEM prepares students to work across the spectrum of emergency and crisis management, with a focus on biomedical sciences and health care. So, it\u2019s no surprise that the majority of HEM alumni are now employed in the COVID-19 planning and policy workforce.<\/p>\n
With nearly 100 graduates of the program since its inception, 11 now work in emergency management at the federal level, three at the national association level and seven internationally. The majority work at the state level.<\/p>\n
Several alumni are employed at the White House and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Throughout the country, graduates work as public information officers, logistics planners and directors of safety. There are also various alumni working as first responders on the frontlines as firefighters, EMTs and paramedics.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe haven\u2019t had any student who wanted to work in the emergency management space who hasn\u2019t,\u201d Thomas said. He added that some alumni go on to get their MDs and PhDs or take on leadership roles in healthcare settings.<\/p>\n
The HEM program is offered virtually with a hybrid capability. Students can decide to complete the program in-person, which is particularly beneficial if they hope to intern at a Boston hospital.<\/p>\n
Ranked fourth among colleges offering online master\u2019s programs in Emergency Management and cited as having the best virtual campus, the program consists of a 36-credit course of study, to be completed in one year full-time or over two years part-time. Classes are taught by experts in emergency management, homeland security, disaster relief, incident command and exercise design through a curriculum highlighting real-world applications.<\/p>\n
HEM alumni have played an integral role in shaping the course, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through direct reports about what they were seeing in the field, HEM program directors and managers were able to adapt the program quickly and efficiently.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a tightknit community of graduates and a lot of communication going on, which creates a network that didn\u2019t exist prior to the HEM program,\u201d Thomas explained.<\/p>\n
A critical skill taught is creating public health guidelines and identifying the best language for delivering those messages. There is a healthy dose of psychology involved, as understanding how human beings operate is essential to developing proper health-related communications.<\/p>\n
Where most emergency management programs focus primarily on things like infrastructure, this program spends more time looking at the impact that these emergencies have on human beings.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll emergencies are essentially human emergencies, and they have some healthcare aspect to it,\u201d said Nina Shaafi Kabiri, PhD, a HEM alumna who teaches two courses for the program.<\/p>\n